Appetizers, otherwise called ‘Starters’ in some regions are small dishes served before the main meal. They maybe served hot or cold. I have a few friends who enjoy starters more than the meal itself.
Sometimes I feel these so called ‘appetizers’ kill the appetite for some. NOoo….I’m not joking…I’ve seen this most commonly in children. They fill themselves up with appetizers with no room for the mains. Funny enough, my son Rohit, belongs to this category. He ends up struggling with the Main course and sometimes skips the main meal.
Now before I bore you further with my tales, let’s look into some starters.
Uzhunnu Vada
Uzhunnu Vada aka Medu Vada or Urad Dal Fritters is a popular south Indian snack usually served with Masala Dosa or taken as a breakfast itself. Here I am sharing some tips to improve the texture of vada……..To make vada crispier, add 1 tbsp of rice powder to the batter and mix well. Keep it idle for 10-15 minutes.
To shape the vadas properly, always wet your hands before shaping each one of them. Keep a cup of water near you and wet your hand with this. This will prevent sticking of the batter to your hands. Click here to view the recipe.
Methi Matar Malai
Methi matar malai is also known as fenugreek and peas in yoghurt.
This is a sure shot winner recipe and is a popular Punjabi dish. Its creamy texture is loved by everyone especially kids. It is a delicious and a very healthy recipe with fenugreek and peas. This recipe is good for kids too, especially if you want to feed them fenugreek. Kids love it as it is on the sweeter side due to the presence of cream, onions and cashews.
To view this recipe click here.
Aloo Tikki
Aloo Tikki is a popular North Indian dish normally served in Chaat stalls in India. It can be made in different variations. Normally I make them with potatoes only, but today had a desire to make it with peas and potatoes. They are normally served with tomato ketchup or chutneys.
Chicken 65 with gravy
Chicken 65 is one dish that makes just about anybody’s mouth water. And why not? A perfect balance of spice, this Indian recipe has made its way into the hearts of several thousand across the globe.
This is a quick and easy mouth watering recipe I learnt from my mom. She is a gifted cook and loves to try different chicken recipes (as chicken is her favourite). All you need available at home is some chicken because the rest of the ingredients are always available in every Indian kitchen. Do you know how to make chicken 65 gravy? Noooo…..then here’s how you start…..